Last week, Walt Disney World released information about the 2105 Disney Dining Plan. Visitors can purchase a Disney Dining Plan as an add-on to their resort vacation packages. The plan gives them an allotment of pre-paid meals and snacks to use during their stay. For 2015, Disney continues to include a Rapid Fill refillable mug that can be used at the visitor's home resort for free drink refills on non-alcoholic beverages.

Disney published documents for each version of its dining plan, which offer a breakdown of what each plan includes. Here are the links for the 5 Disney Dining Plan options:

As of August 1, 2014, Tables in Wonderland changed a number of things related to its food and drink discount program, according to MousePlanet sponsor TouringPlans.com. The Tables in Wonderland discount card can be purchased by Florida residents and Walt Disney World annual and season passholders, as well as Disney Vacation Club members. The card entitles the holder to a 20 percent discount on food and drink at participating restaurants on select days throughout the year.

One of the major changes includes additional blackout dates for select restaurants beyond the already scheduled dates of Easter Sunday, Mother’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. The additional dates include November 23–29; December 21–27; March 8 through April 4, 2015; and May 31 through June 20, 2015 at the following:

MousePlanet received word from Disney Parks Blog and TouringPlans.com about three new experiences coming to the 2014 Food and Wine Festival: the Eat to the Beat dining packages, Late Nights LIVE, and the Epcot Food and Wine Festival Premium Package.

The TouringPlans.com report said that the new Eat to the Beat dining packages offer visitors a chance to eat either lunch or dinner at one of 13 participating Epcot restaurants as well as reserve a seat for one of that day's Eat to the Beat concert performances. Participating restaurants include:

England's Rose and Crown Pub

Germany's Biergarten

The Land pavilion's The Garden Grill

The Seas pavilion's Coral Reef

China's Nine Dragons

Morocco's Restaurant Marrakesh

Mexico's San Angel Inn and La Hacienda de San Angel

Italy's Via Napoli and Tutto Italia

France's Les Chefs de France

Japan's Tokyo Dining and Teppan Edo

Lunch prices range from $34.99 to $59.99 ($12.99 to $18.99 for children ages 3 through 9); dinner prices range from $49.99 to $74.99 ($16.75 to $28.99 for children ages 3 through 9). Prices do not include tax or gratuity. Packages can be booked by calling (407) 939-1889.

According to the Disney Parks Blog, visitors can also enjoy The 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival: Late Nights LIVE from 9:00 p.m. through 1:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the annual festival. This special event, located between the World Showcase Plaza and the United Kingdom pavilion, features food from select festival marketplaces (including Hawaii and Greece), live music, entertainment, and a DJ. Tickets are $79, plus tax and can be purchased by calling (407) 939-3378. Ticket price includes admission to Epcot starting at 9:00 p.m. only. Additional theme park admission must be purchased for those wanting to enter before the party.

The final new experience is the Epcot Food & Wine Premium Package, available from noon to 8:00 p.m. on select Mondays through Thursdays throughout the festival. Anyone staying in a Walt Disney World Resort hotel (including the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels), can buy a ticket, entitling them to an in-room gift with wine, a festival wine glass, a special festival MagicBand, a $50 Disney gift card, truffles and access to the premium areas at the festival. In this 10 reserved areas, ticket holders can order from the festival marketplaces and have the food delivered directly to them. The package also includes one admission to Late Nights LIVE! Tickets cost $199 per person, plus tax, plus Epcot admission. To book the premium package, call (407) 939-1889.

The new Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort held its ribbon-cutting ceremony last week as it prepared to welcome its first guests on Sunday, August 3, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

The 443-room resort, with room rates running up to $600 per night, offers visitors the benefits of staying on a Walt Disney World resort property while providing them with upscale accommodations (many with views of the Magic Kingdom's nightly fireworks). Guests have access to a Disney Planning Center, where cast members help people plan their trips, purchase tickets, make reservations, and more.

Disney character dining is also available at the Four Seasons Orlando at Ravello, an Italian restaurant, featuring a "Goofy and Pals" breakfast on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Younger guests can enjoy "magical moment makeovers" where girls can become princesses and the boys are made into valiant knights.

Fans of the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion can look forward to a brand new gift shop featuring attraction-themed merchandise scheduled to open sometime this fall.

The new Haunted Mansion-themed shop will be located in Liberty Square, where Yankee Trader resided until it permanently closed on July 27, 2014. Haunted Mansion merchandise fans can find clothing, home goods, souvenirs and much more at the new location when it opens.

Disney did not provide a firm opening date as of this update, but keep an eye out for updates in the future.

...Happy belated birthday to Disney Hollywood Studio's Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, which celebrated 15 years of thrilling riders last week. The attraction officially opened on July 29, 1999.

...An update from Disney's Polynesian Resort: guests currently staying at the resort can now receive free admission to Blizzard Beach for each day of their stay due to the main pool's refurbishment. This is a change from its previous policy, which MousePlanet reported on back in May, which only allowed one day's admission during a guest's stay. In addition to the free admission, the resort buses guests to and from the water park, provides a free beach towel and will now allow guests to use their Rapid Fill refillable mug, if they purchased it during their trip.

...The Chase Lounge returns for the 2014 Epcot Food & Wine Festival for the third year in a row, according to our sponsor TouringPlans.com. Located in the American Adventure parlor, this lounge is provided to Disney Visa Card holders who purchases an Epcot theme park admission. While in the lounge, guests can relax, get a free soft drink and cool off in the air conditioning. In previous years, beer and wine were sold in the lounge, but this has not been confirmed as of this update. Also, the option to secure a preferred viewing location for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth or the Eat to the Beat concerts has not been confirmed at this point.

The MousePlanet Newsletter is here!

The newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips about what's happening at the Disney theme parks for the coming weekend. We'll also include a fun MouseAdventure bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your e-mail in the box below.

Join the MousePlanet NewsletterE-mail:

We are looking for you!

Do you write or blog about Walt Disney World or Disney-related topics? Do you have a Disney-related YouTube channel or independent website? If so, we want to meet you. MousePlanet is looking for established writers to cover new areas of the Disney universe, including the international Parks and Resorts.

If you are interested in learning how your blog or site can work with MousePlanet, or you have an idea for a great new column, pleasecontact us—we'd love to hear from you!

Walt Disney World is in the last couple of weeks of the busy Summer Break season. Touringplans.com can help you avoid falling into the typical tourist pitfalls, and help you avoid the dreaded tour groups with our per-park Crowd Calendar, Lines – Mobile Wait Times App that gives access to current and estimated wait times for attractions, and Touring Plans detailing the best plan of attack for hitting the attractions. Now, more than ever, it's a good time to subscribe to TouringPlans.com to plan your strategy to avoid the crowds!

Below are the predicted resort-wide crowd numbers for select days generated by the TouringPlans professional statisticians as measured for the upcoming week. For the access to the full year and per-park crowd level predictions, visit our Crowd Calendar.

Date

Overall

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

8/10

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

7/10

Thursday, August 7, 2014

8/10

Friday, August 8, 2014

8/10

Check out the Disney World Park Crowd Levels page on TouringPlans.com for park-specific predictions and recommendations on which days to visit and avoid particular parks!

Saturday is the best day to visit the Magic Kingdom.

The resort crowd level on Saturday will be 6 out of 10.

Following a Touring Plan is important when crowd levels spike at the park you're visiting!

If you participate in (or are considering signing up for) runDisney events, visit our Team MousePlanet forum on the MousePad discussion board, where you can join our community of health-minded readers and staff.

As previously reported by MousePlanet, some refrigerators in non-Disney Vacation Club rooms at Walt Disney World are being replaced due to a product defect. All Walt Disney World Resort rooms with the exception of DVC Villas, the family suites at the Art of Animation and All-Star Movie resorts, and the cabins at Fort Wilderness are impacted. Disney says "the schedule for replacing the refrigerators at these Resorts is expected to last several months."

In the interim, if you have a reservation at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel and need a refrigerator for medical reasons, we recommend contacting your resort directly to inquire about availability during your trip. The hotel should be able to arrange for one if your room does not yet have a new refrigerator, but supplies may be limited while they work to replace all of the malfunctioning units.

All Star Music Resort – refurbishment of its Intermission Food Court beginning on August 1 and scheduled for reopening on December 21, according to our sponsor TouringPlans.com.

Polynesian – Never Land Club Children's Activity Center closed for refurbishment through January 1, 2015.

Polynesian – refurbishment of the lobby ongoing.

Wilderness Lodge – refurbishment of its Silver Creek Springs Pool from September 3 through late November 2014.

Current Discounts & Promotions

Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Walt Disney World Resort Update. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the intended audience. Check out the category that best matches you, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!

Discounts for Everyone

2014 Free Dining offer for general public

Sue from Small World Vacations reports the general public can book a free dining package for specific dates beginning Wednesday, May 7.

Offer details:

2014 Vacation Dates

August 31 – October 3

October 26 – November 1

November 9 – November 20

December 12 – December 23

Free Quick Service Plan

Book a Magic Your Way vacation package for a minimum of three nights with at least two days of theme park tickets at select Disney Value Resorts to receive Disney's Quick Service Dining Plan for free. Visitors can upgrade to a Table Service Dining Plan for less than $20 per night for adults and less than $5 per night for children ages 3 through 9.

Value Resorts included:

Disney's Pop Century

Disney's Art of Animation Suites

Disney's All-Star Music Resort

Disney's All-Star Sports Resort

Free Table Service Dining Plan

Book a Magic Your Way vacation package for a minimum of three nights with at least two days of theme park tickets at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villas Resorts to receive Disney's Basic Table Service Dining Plan for free. An upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan is available for less than $50 per night for adults and less than $11 per night for children ages 3 through 9.

Moderate and Deluxe Resorts included:

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney's Contemporary Resort

Disney's Grand Floridian & Spa Resort

Disney's Polynesian Resort

Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts

Disney's BoardWalk Inn

Disney's Beach Club Villas

Disney's BoardWalk Villas

Disney's Bay Lake Tower

Disney's Old Key West Resort

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas.

Offer Restrictions

Advance reservations required

All guests staying in the same room must add theme park tickets to their Magic Your Way package. Tickets may include park hoppers, water parks & more and/or no expiration options.

Visitors can receive up to a 30 percent discount when making a room only reservation at the Walt Disney World Resort on most arrival days from August 16 through October 3. Offer exclusions include all of Bay Lake Tower, the Grand Floridian & Spa Villas, and the Art of Animation Little Mermaid Rooms.

Memory Maker pre-arrival discount

Disney's PhotoPass service provides a discount on Disney Memory Maker pre-arrival packages. For $149 plus tax, Walt Disney World guests can digitally download any photos associated with their Memory Maker account, including photos taken on attractions. The advanced purchase price is a $50 savings. Applicable taxes are charged to all orders.

Special offer only available from this link, and must be made more than three days prior to arrival at the Walt Disney World Resort. All sales are final, and not eligible for an exchange or refund.

Discounts for Annual Passholders

Save up to 30 percent* on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels

Disney released a number of summer travel discounts covering arrivals between August 16 and October 3, 2014. They are tiered by resort and length of stay, with a 5 percent bonus for stays of 6 nights or longer. Book through August 8, 2014.

Save up to 15 percent at Disney's All Star Music Resort, Disney's All Star Sports Resort, Disney's Pop Century Resort (August 16 through August 28); Disney's All Star Movies Resort (August 29 thorugh October 3); The Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort (August 29 through October 3)

Save up to 10 percent at Disney's Art of Animation Family Suites (August 16 through August 28)

Discounts for Disney Rewards VISA & Debit Card Holders

2014 Free Dining Offer for Disney Rewards VISA & Debit Card Holders

Sue from Small World Vacations reports the Disney Rewards VISA and Debit Card Holders can now get a free dining discount when booking a qualifying Walt Disney World vacation package.

Offer details:

2014 Vacation Dates

August 31 – October 3

October 26 – November 1

November 9 – November 20

December 12 – December 23

Free Quick Service Plan

Book a Magic Your Way vacation package for a minimum of three nights with at least two days of theme park tickets at select Disney Value Resorts to receive Disney's Quick Service Dining Plan for free. Visitors can upgrade to a Table Service Dining Plan for less than $20 per night for adults and less than $5 per night for children ages 3 through 9.

Value Resorts included:

Disney's Pop Century

Disney's Art of Animation Suites

Disney's All-Star Music Resort

Disney's All-Star Sports Resort

Free Table Service Dining Plan

Book a Magic Your Way vacation package for a minimum of three nights with at least two days of theme park tickets at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villas Resorts to receive Disney's Basic Table Service Dining Plan for free. An upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan is available for less than $50 per night for adults and less than $11 per night for children ages 3 through 9.

Moderate and Deluxe Resorts included:

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

Disney's Fort Wilderness Cabins

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney's Contemporary Resort

Disney's Grand Floridian & Spa Resort

Disney's Polynesian Resort

Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts

Disney's BoardWalk Inn

Disney's Beach Club Villas

Disney's BoardWalk Villas

Disney's Bay Lake Tower

Disney's Old Key West Resort

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas.

Offer Restrictions

Advance reservations required

All guests staying in the same room must add theme park tickets to their Magic Your Way package. Tickets may include park hoppers, water parks & more and/or no expiration options.

Disney Visa cardholders receive 20 percent off the non-discounted price of selected guided tours for up to 10 people. The cardholder must participate in the tour, and pay with a Disney's Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card. Tours included:

Disney Visa cardholders receive 10 percent off at participating Disney-owned retail location when you spend a minimum of $50 and pay with a Disney's Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card (be sure to request the discount). Read all of the restrictions on the Disney Visa website.

Free 5x7 character photo at a private meet and greet location at Epcot

Present your Disney's Premier Visa Card or Disney Rewards Visa Card for access to a private character meet and greet at Epcot for the cardholder and up to 5 guests. The event is hosted daily from 1pm to 7pm inside Innoventions West at Epcot. You'll receive one free 5 x 7 character photo per day.

Discounts for Florida Residents

Save up to 35 percent* on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels

Disney released a number of summer travel discounts covering arrivals between June 15 and August 28, 2014. They are tiered by resort and length of stay, with a 5 percent bonus for stays of 6 nights or longer. Book through June 6, 2014.

Discounts for U.K. Residents

2014 Free Dining offer for U.K. residents

2014 Free Dining offers for U.K. residents have been released. From the information posted on the Virgin Holidays website, it appears the 2014 program offers free Quick Service Dining Plan plan when booking at a Moderate resort, and free Dining Plan when booking at Deluxe resorts, Old Key West or Saratoga Springs. There are also offers for a free $200 Disney Gift Card and/or a 14-day ticket for the price of a 7-day ticket depending on travel dates. These particular offers are valid for U.K. residents only.

MousePlanet® is not associated in any official way with the Walt Disney Company, its subsidiaries, or its affiliates. The official Disney site is available at www.disney.com. This MousePlanet Web site provides independent news articles, commentary, editorials, reviews, and guides primarily about the theme park resorts of the Walt Disney Co. All information on this site is subject to change. Please call destinations in advance to confirm the most up-to-date information.